2007 SUZUKI XL7 Owners Manual

2-17 FEATURES AND CONTROLS
78J00-03E
SECOND (2) Gear Start Feature
When accelerating your vehicle from a
stop in snowy and icy conditions, you may
want to shift into SECOND (2). A higher
gear, and light application of the gas pedal,
may allow you to gain more traction on
slippery surfaces.
With the MANUAL SHIFT MODE, the vehi-
cle can accelerate from a stop in SECOND
(2).
1) Move the shift lever from DRIVE (D)
into the MANUAL SHIFT MODE (M)
position.
2) With the vehicle stopped, press the
plus (+) paddle forward to select SEC-
OND (2). The vehicle will start from a
stop position in SECOND (2).
3) Once the vehicle is moving select the
desired drive gear.
Parking Brake
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The parking brake lever is located to the
right of the driver’s seat.
To set the parking brake, hold the brake
pedal down and pull up on the parking
brake lever. If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the
brake pedal down. Pull the parking brake
lever up until you can press the release
button. Hold the release button in as you
move the brake lever all the way down.
Make sure to release the parking brake
before driving the vehicle.
If the parking brake is applied and the vehi-
cle is moving at least 4 mph (6 km/h), a
chime will activate to remind you to release
the parking brake.
Shifting Into Park (P)1) Hold the brake pedal down and set the
parking brake.
2) Move the shift lever into the PARK (P)
position by holding in the button on the
shift lever and pushing it all the way
toward the front of the vehicle.
3) Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
CAUTION
If you attempt a third gear start while
trailering or towing a heavy load, you
will notice reduced engine power.
This could overheat and damage
your transaxle. Do not attempt a third
gear start while trailering or towing
your vehicle.
CAUTION
Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake
system parts. Verify that the parking
brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake
firmly set. Your vehicle can roll. If
you have left the engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You or
others could be injured. To be sure
your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow. If you are
pulling a trailer, refer to “Towing a
Trailer” in “Towing” in the “Driving
Your Vehicle” section.

2-18 FEATURES AND CONTROLS
78J00-03E
4) Remove the key and take it with you. If
you can leave your vehicle with the igni-
tion key in your hand, your vehicle is in
PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
If you have to leave your vehicle with the
engine running, be sure your vehicle is in
PARK (P) and your parking brake is firmly
set before you leave it. After you have
moved the shift lever into PARK (P), hold
the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if
you can move the shift lever away from
PARK (P) without first pushing the button.
If you can, it means that the shift lever was
not fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not
shift your transaxle into PARK (P) properly,
the weight of the vehicle may put too muchforce on the parking pawl in the transaxle.
You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK (P). This is called
“torque lock.” To prevent torque lock, set
the parking brake and then shift into PARK
(P) properly before you leave the driver’s
seat. To find out how, refer to “Shifting Into
Park (P)” in this section.
When you are ready to drive, move the
shift lever out of PARK (P) before you
release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to
have another vehicle push yours a little
uphill to take some of the pressure from
the parking pawl in the transaxle, so you
can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of Park (P)Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle
shift lock control system. You have to fully
apply your regular brakes before you can
shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is in
RUN.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease
pressure on the shift lever – push the shift
lever all the way into PARK (P), as you
maintain brake application. Then, press
the button on the shift lever and move the
shift lever into the gear you wish.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but
still cannot shift out of PARK (P), try this:
1) Turn the key to LOCK.2) Apply and hold the brake until the end
of Step 4.
3) Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4) Start the vehicle and then shift to the
desired drive gear.
5) Have your vehicle fixed as soon as you
can.
Parking Over Things That Burn
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WARNING
It can be dangerous to leave your
vehicle with the engine running. Your
vehicle could move suddenly if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the
engine running, it could overheat and
even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Do not leave your vehicle
with the engine running.
WARNING
Things that can burn could touch hot
exhaust parts under your vehicle and
ignite. Do not park over papers,
leaves, dry grass, or other things that
can burn.

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Engine Exhaust Running the Engine While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine run-
ning. But if you ever have to, here are
some things to know.
Follow the proper steps to be sure your
vehicle will not move. Refer to “Shifting
Into Park (P)” in this section.
If you are parking on a hill and if you are
pulling a trailer, also refer to “Towing a
Trailer” in “Towing” in the “Driving Your
Vehicle” section.
WARNING
Engine exhaust can kill. It contains
the gas carbon monoxide (CO), which
you cannot see or smell. It can cause
unconsciousness and death.
You might have exhaust coming in if:
 The exhaust system sounds
strange or different.
 Your vehicle gets rusty under-
neath.
 Your vehicle was damaged in a col-
lision.
 Your vehicle was damaged when
driving over high points on the
road or over road debris.
 Repairs were not done correctly.
 Your vehicle or the exhaust system
has been modified improperly.
If you ever suspect exhaust is com-
ing into your vehicle:
 Drive it only with all the windows
down to blow out any CO; and
 Have your vehicle fixed immedi-
ately.
WARNING
Idling the engine with the climate
control system off could allow dan-
gerous exhaust into your vehicle.
Refer to the earlier caution under
“Engine Exhaust” in this section.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can
let deadly carbon monoxide (CO) into
your vehicle even if the climate con-
trol fan is at the highest setting. One
place this can happen is a garage.
Exhaust – with CO – can come in eas-
ily. NEVER park in a garage with the
engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a bliz-
zard. Refer to “Winter Driving” in
“Your Driving, the Road, and Your
Vehicle” in the “Driving Your Vehi-
cle” section.
WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake
firmly set. Your vehicle can roll. Do
not leave your vehicle when the
engine is running unless you have to.
If you have left the engine running,
the vehicle can move suddenly. You
or others could be injured. To be sure
your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground,
always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P).

2-20 FEATURES AND CONTROLS
78J00-03E
MirrorsManual Rearview MirrorTo adjust the angle of the mirror, move the
mirror to a position that allows you see to
out of the back window. To adjust the
height of the mirror, adjust the arm that
connects the mirror to the windshield.
To reduce glare from lights behind you,
move the lever toward you to the night
position.Automatic Dimming Rearview
MirrorIf the vehicle has this feature, the auto-
matic dimming mirror automatically dims to
the proper level to minimize glare at night
from lights behind your vehicle.
On/Off:
This is the on/off button. A light near the
on/off button will come on to indicate the
automatic dimming is on.
If the automatic dimming function is off,
press and hold the on/off button for four
seconds to manually turn the system back
on.
Cleaning the Mirror
When cleaning the mirror, use a paper
towel or similar material dampened with
glass cleaner. Do not spray glass cleaner
directly on the mirror as that may cause
the liquid cleaner to enter the mirror hous-
ing.
Automatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror with CompassYour vehicle may have an automatic-dim-
ming rearview mirror with a compass.
Mirror Operation
When turned on, this mirror automatically
dims to the proper level to minimize glare
from any headlamps behind you after dark.
On/Off:
This is the on/off button for the automatic
dimming feature and compass. Press the
far left button, located below the mirror
face, for up to four seconds to turn the fea-
ture on and off. A light on the mirror will be
lit while the feature is turned on.
Compass Operation
Press the on/off button once to turn the
compass on or off.
There is a compass display in the window
in the upper right corner of the mirror face.
The compass displays a maximum of two
characters. For example, “NE” is displayed
for north-east.
Compass Calibration
Press and hold the on/off button down for
nine seconds to activate the compass cali-
bration mode. CAL will be displayed in the
compass window on the mirror.
The compass can be calibrated by driving
the vehicle in circles at 5 mph (8 km/h) or
less until the display reads a direction.Compass Variance
Compass variance is the difference
between earth’s magnetic north and true
geographic north. The mirror is set to zone
eight upon leaving the factory. It will be
necessary to adjust the compass to com-
pensate for compass variance if you live
outside zone eight. Under certain circum-
stances, such as during a long distance
cross-country trip, it will be necessary to
adjust for compass variance. If not
adjusted to account for compass variance,
your compass could give false readings.
To adjust for compass variance, do the fol-
lowing:
1) Find your current location and variance
zone number on the map.
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2) Press and hold the on/off button for six
seconds. Release the button when

2-21 FEATURES AND CONTROLS
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ZONE is displayed. The number shown
is the current zone number.
3) Scroll through the zone numbers that
appear in the compass/temperature
window on the mirror by pressing the
on/off button. Once you find your zone
number, release the button.
After about four seconds, the mirror will
return to the compass display, and the new
zone number will be set.
Outside Power Mirrors
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The controls for the power mirrors are
located on the instrument panel.
To adjust the mirrors, do the following:
1) Move the selector switch to the left or
right to choose the driver’s or passen-
ger’s mirror.2) Press the corresponding edges of the
round control pad to move each mirror
to the desired direction.
Adjust each outside mirror so that you can
see a little of your vehicle, and the area
behind your vehicle.
Outside Convex MirrorsThe passenger’s side mirror is convex. A
convex mirror’s surface is curved, creating
a wider area of vision for the driver.
Storage AreasGlove BoxTo open the glove box, lift the handle up. Cupholder(s)There are two cupholders, with removable
liners, located in front of the center console
armrest. To access, slide the cover back.
The two cupholders are located in a
removable tray. To remove the tray, press
the tab located at the front of the tray and
pull up. To replace the tray, place the two
tabs at the rear of the tray into the slots
and press the tray down. Underneath the
tray is an additional storage area.
There are cupholders located in the sec-
ond row seat armrest. To access, pull the
armrest down.
If your vehicle has the third row seat, there
will be a cupholder located next to each
side.Sunglasses Storage CompartmentYour vehicle may have a sunglasses stor-
age compartment located near the rear-
view mirror. Push the cover to open.Garage Door Opener CompartmentYour vehicle may have a garage door
opener compartment. It is located next to
the sunglasses storage compartment.
Push the latch to open.
WARNING
A convex mirror can make things
(like other vehicles) look farther away
than they really are. If you cut too
sharply into the right lane, you could
hit a vehicle on your right. Check
your inside mirror or glance over
your shoulder before changing lanes.

2-22 FEATURES AND CONTROLS
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Center Console Storage AreaYour vehicle has a center console armrest
with storage area. Use the top lever on the
front of the console to open it. There is an
additional storage area underneath the
center console. To access, use the bottom
lever and pull the console up.Assist HandlesThere are assist handles with garment
hooks located above the rear passenger
doors.
Luggage CarrierA luggage carrier allows you to load things
on top of your vehicle. The luggage carrier
has side rails attached to the roof, sliding
crossrails (if equipped) and places to use
for tying things down. These let you load
some things on top of your vehicle, as long
as they are not wider or longer than the
luggage carrier.
The roof rack crossrails lock in five posi-
tions along the straight section of the side
rail.
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Press the levers down until the locking
mechanisms fully engage to the side rail.
Make sure each lever is in the down posi-
tion. The crossrail will not slide when prop-
erly engaged.
WARNING
If you try to carry something on top
of your vehicle that is longer or wider
than the luggage carrier – like panel-
ing, plywood, a mattress and so forth
– the wind can catch it as you drive
along. This can cause you to lose
control. What you are carrying could
be violently torn off, and this could
cause you or other drivers to have a
collision, and of course damage your
vehicle. You may be able to carry
something like this inside. But, never
carry something longer or wider than
the luggage carrier on top of your
vehicle.

2-23 FEATURES AND CONTROLS
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To reposition the crossrail, pull up on the
end levers on each side of the crossrail to
the upright position. This will release the
locking mechanism from the siderail. Lift
and place the crossrail into the new posi-
tion. Press the levers down until the lock-
ing mechanisms fully engage to the side
rail. Make sure each lever is in the down
position. The crossrail will not slide when
properly engaged.Do not stand on the plastic lower body
panel when loading cargo on the luggage
carrier.
Loading cargo on the luggage carrier will
make the center of vehicle gravity higher.
Avoid high speeds, sudden starts, sharp
turns, sudden braking or abrupt maneu-
vers. This could result in loss of control of
the vehicle.
Do not exceed the maximum vehicle
capacity when loading your vehicle. For
more information on vehicle capacity and
loading, refer to “Loading Your Vehicle” in
“Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle”
in the “Driving Your Vehicle” section.
To prevent damage or loss of cargo as you
are driving, check now and then to make
sure the luggage carrier crossrails are
locked and cargo is still securely fastened.
When the luggage carrier is not in use,
store the crossrails inside the vehicle. If
not possible, lock one crossrail at the rear
most position on the siderails and lock the
other crossrail above the opening of the
rear door to reduce wind noise.
Rear Seat ArmrestYour vehicle may have a rear seat armrest
that contains two cupholders. To access
the cupholders, pull the armrest down from
the rear seatback.
Convenience NetYour vehicle may have a rear compartment
net to prevent items from rolling under the
rear seat. There may also be four conve-
nience net tie-downs. Two tie-downs are
located on the side trim just behind the
rear seat and the other two are located on
the floor at the rear of the cargo area.
WARNING
Loading cargo on the luggage carrier
that weighs more than 220 lbs (100
kg) or hangs over the rear or sides of
the vehicle may damage your vehicle.
Load cargo so that it rests on the
slats as far forward as possible and
against the side rails, making sure to
fasten it securely.

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SunroofIf your vehicle has this feature, the sunroof
switch is located on the headliner above
the rearview mirror. The ignition must be in
RUN or ACC, or Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) must be active, to operate
the sunroof. Refer to “Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)” in this section for more infor-
mation.
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To express-open the sunroof glass panel
and sunshade, press the switch rearward
and release it.
To stop the sunroof before it is completely
open, press the switch rearward again.
The sunshade cannot be closed with the
sunroof open.
To close the sunroof, press forward and
hold the switch until the sunroof stops, lifts,
and seals at the back of the sunroof glass.Press forward on the switch again to make
sure the sunroof is fully closed.
To put the sunroof in the vent position, pull
down on the front of the switch. Push up on
the front of the switch to close it.